Time For Justice – A call from Palestine to EU citizens

EU representatives have expressed numerous concerns about Israeli violations towards Palestine, however, witnessing ever-increasing violations, words are not enough. Ask your representatives to act and call for suspension of EU’s trade agreements with Israel, until it complies with international law. Stop EU’s complicity in these crimes now. Read the full text of the call below.

Take Action: Write to your Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. Then write to your Members or European Parliament (MEPs).

Time For Justice – A call from Palestine to EU citizens

Ask your governments and EMPs to suspend EU-Israel Association Agreement and ACAA, stand up for human rights and end the occupation

Representatives of European governments have expressed grave concerns over Israel’s plan to build another 3000 settlement units in the West Bank. The EU High Representative Catherine Ashton reiterated that “all settlement construction is illegal under international law and constitutes an obstacle to peace.”

While statements of concern regarding Israeli war crimes and international law violations are welcome, in practice Israel’s military occupation and apartheid policies including its settlement project in the West Bank, the continued siege and assault on the Gaza Strip, the ongoing demolition of Palestinian homes, the illegal annexation of occupied East Jerusalem, Arbitrary arrests and torture of adults and children, severe restrictions on freedom of movement and access to resources and other illegal military operations, receive direct and concrete support from Europe.

European support is expressed in the preferential conditions that Israel receives under its Trade and Association Agreements with Europe. The association agreement stipulates that “relations between the parties, as well as all the provisions of the agreement itself shall be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles”, and that this “constitutes an essential element of this agreement”.

To date the European union state-members have chosen to ignore their obligation to suspend the agreement due to Israel’s ongoing severe human rights violations. It is time to end European complicity with Israeli war crimes.

Tell your Prime Minister, your Foreign Minister and your representatives to the European Parliament that the time has come to take action and suspend Europe’s trade agreements with Israel as well as end trade with companies operating in settlements on occupied territories until Israel fulfils its obligations under international law: Ending its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands and dismantling the Wall; Recognizing the fundamental rights of the Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality; and respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194. Tell your representatives to act for justice now.

I am gravely concerned with the complicity of European Union countries in war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Israel against the Palestinian people. While the recent statements of concern issued by European representatives regarding Israeli unilateral actions such as Israel’s settlement project in the West Bank, the continued siege and assault on the Gaza Strip, the ongoing demolition of Palestinian homes, the illegal annexation of occupied East Jerusalem, the arbitrary arrest and torture of Adults and children, the severe restrictions on freedom of movement and access to resources and other illegal military operations, are welcome, they are not enough.

It is past time that we fulfil our obligations and stop support of trade with companies associated with settlements, and implement the Human rights clause in our Trade and Association Agreements with Israel and suspend the agreements due to Israel’s ongoing severe human rights violations.

I call on you to take immediate action and suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement, ACAA and the planned Protocol on the participation of Israel in Community programmes, as well as end trade with companies operating in settlements on occupied territories, until Israel fulfils its obligations under international law: Ending its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands and dismantling the Wall; Recognizing the fundamental rights of the Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality; and respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194.